Shelby Township Clerk Stanley Grot, a candidate for state representative, ran afoul of the Secretary of State recently after a township resident –- and former unsuccessful clerk candidate –- filed a complaint about the absentee ballot envelopes Grot’s office distributed.

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The return addresses on envelopes included the designation, “Stanley Grot Clerk” on return addresses.

Although Grot’s name was darkened, the printing showed through on at least some of the envelopes. Under a new law, that’s a violation.

“After elections staff reviewed it and spoke with … Grot, it was agreed that the clerk’s office will immediately obtain and use envelopes that omit Grot’s name,” Fred Woodhams, Secretary of State spokesman wrote in an email response to The Macomb Daily. “In the meantime, (the clerk) better obscure his name on existing envelopes.”

Richard Batchelder, a Shelby Township resident and former township firefighter, filed the complaint with the Michigan Secretary of State. Batchelder ran unsuccessfully against Grot for township clerk in 2012. He’s also a supporter of Pete Lucido, Grot’s opponent in the state representative Republican primary.

“He is breaking the rules blatantly,” Batchelder said. “He is a public official and he should have to follow the rules.”

Grot had a different take.

He conceded he used old envelopes with his name on them – after his name was darkened -- but said his motive was simply economic.

“We were trying to be prudent and conservative and use the (envelopes) that were already there,” Grot said. “We were trying to use up the stock.”

The law in question prohibits the name of any elected official from appearing on “any ballot-related material that is provided to an elector.” The law specifically mentions “any material provided to an elector with an absentee voter ballot.”

Grot insisted he had his name redacted “professionally” and “thought it was good enough” to comply with the law.

He also accused Batchelder of “sour grapes.”

“I don’t really know if that’s true,” Batchelder said. “An elected official should not be above the law.”

Violators of the law can be fined up to $100 for a first offense and $250 for a second or subsequent violation. Woodhams said the Secretary of State has made no decision regarding further action against Grot.